A (relatively) brief guide to Cisco IT certifications

Cisco IT certifications are often found sprinkling the lists of the highest paying certifications in the industry. If you're looking at getting certified, take a look at this guide to Cisco IT certifications.

Are you thinking about expanding your resume with a new certification? Cisco IT certifications are often found sprinkling the lists of the highest paying certifications in the industry. Cisco is the long-standing industry leader in designing and manufacturing network equipment.

Whether you're thinking of specializing in working with Cisco products or just broadening your overall skill-set, the ubiquity of Cisco's products and services makes the company's IT certifications an important part of developing your basic skills as an IT professional.

Choose your certification path

Cisco offers exams at four primary levels of IT certification - Entry, Associate, Professional, and Expert. There are additional tests available at Technician, Specialist and Architect levels. In this post, we're going to focus on certifications at the Entry, Associate, and Professional levels, because if you're an expert already you probably don't need a guide!

At each level, there are nine different paths for various specialties within IT, including:

Routing and switching

Design

Network security

Wireless

Voice

Data center

Storage networking

Service provider

Service provider operations

Each proficiency level has tests to certify the test-taker's abilities in the nine subject areas listed above. Here's a chart showing which tests cover which subjects:

Entry

Associate

Professional

Routing & Switching

CCENT

CCNA

CCNP

Design

CCENT

CCDA

CCDP

Network Security

CCENT

CCNA Security

CCNP Security

Wireless

CCENT

CCNA Wireless

CCNP Wireless

Voice

CCENT

CCNA Voice

CCNP Voice

Data Center

CCENT

CCNA Data Center

CCNP Data Center

Storage Networking

CCENT

Service Provider

CCNA Service Provider

CCNP Service Provider

Service Provider Options

CCENT

CCNA Service Provider Operations

CCNP Service Provider Operations

(Note that blank spaces indicate the subject is not covered in that certification level)

What does it prove? This certification proves the tester's understanding of basic networking technologies in relation to the 9 paths (security, wireless technology, routing and switching, etc.). It forms the foundation for future certifications, and provides a breadth of knowledge for you to then select a specialty.

What does it prove? This certification proves the tester's ability to install, monitor and troubleshoot network infrastructure. Recipients of this certification are trusted to be able to perform the day-to-day tasks of a network administrator, with a focus on routing and switching.

What does it prove? This certification proves the tester's ability to design robust routed and switched network infrastructure for companies of any size. If taken by an individual with existing network engineering abilities, this certification proves that this engineering expertise is backed up with a networking design background. This helps in the daily configuration and troubleshooting tasks of network engineers.

What does it prove? This certification proves the tester's competency in installing and monitoring Cisco security technologies. The tester has received an introduction into security technologies, and is able to perform the daily tasks of a network security specialist and administrator.

What test do I have to take? 640-554 IINS - Online training available. (Note: This test replaced the 640-533 IINS exam, which was last offered on final test date on September 30, 2012.)

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have either an up-to-date CCNA or any Cisco CCIE Certification before taking the CCNA security certification exam.

What does it prove? This certification proves the tester's ability to use Cisco equipment to implement, configure and support wireless LANs. The tester is able to perform the daily tasks of a wireless network administrator.

What test do I have to take? IUWNE 640-722 (Implementing Cisco Unified Wireless Networking Essentials) - Training available online.

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have either an up-to-date CCNA or any Cisco CCIE Certification before taking the CCNA security certification exam.

What does it prove? The tester is prepared for a career in voice networking, and equipped with the necessary skills including managing and supporting voice networks and applications. The tester has a basic understanding of VoIP technologies such as handsets, call control, messaging, etc.

What does it prove? The tester is prepared for a career in voice networking, and equipped with the necessary skills including implementing, operating, and troubleshooting a converged IP network. The tester has a thorough understanding of quality of service (QoS), gateways, gatekeepers, IP phones, voice applications and utilities on Cisco routers and Cisco Catalyst switches.

What does it prove? The CCNA Data Center certification is focused on training data center professional for work in their field. The tester is prepared to work as a data center professional designing, installing and maintaining data centers.

What does it stand for? Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center

What does it prove? The CCNP Data Center Certification proves the experienced data center professional's ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot data centers. Like the CCNA Data Center certification, the CCNP Data Center certification is designed to provide on-the-job skill building for those studying for it.

What test do I have to take? Many of the required tests are being retired in early 2013. We've chosen not to list these here. 642-999 DCUCI v5.0 and 642-997 DCUFI v5.0 and 642-998 DCUCD v5.0 and 642-996 DCUFD v5.0 or 642-035 DCUCT v5.0 and 642-980 DCUFT v5.0. For a full list of exams, including the ones that will be retired in early 2013, click here.

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have either an up-to-date CCNA Data Center certification, or any Cisco CCIE Certification before taking the CCNP Data Center certification.

What does it prove? The tester is prepared to work as a network engineer on next generation service provider networks. The tester has acquired the necessary skills to configure, optimize and problem solve service provider network environments.

What test do I have to take?640-875 SPNGN1 and 640-878 SPNGN2 (Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks). Click the test name for available online training.

What does it stand for? Cisco Certified Network Associate Service Provider Operations

What does it prove? The tester is prepared to work as a Tier I support engineer, understanding how to troubleshoot, configure, change and manage the performance of the environment within an IP NGN core network infrastructure.

What does it prove? The tester is prepared to work with specialists on advanced technologies, such as security, wireless, voice, etc. The tester is equipped with the necessary implementing, verifying and troubleshooting skills to work with local and wide-area networks as a technician, support engineer, system engineer or network engineer.

What does it stand for? Cisco Certified Network Associate Service Provider Operations

What does it prove? The CCNA Service Provider certification proves the certificate-holder's basic knowledge of incident, fault, configuration, change and performance management procedures, as well as NMS tools and protocols.

What test do I have to take? 640-760 SSPO

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have one of the following: any valid cisco CCENT, CCNA or CCIE before taking the CCNA Service Provider Operations exam.

What does it prove? The tester is able to understand and implement intelligent network design architectures for enterprises. The tester will be able to articulate their plan and implement it to create secure, multi-layered network systems. Tester's abilities extend to virtual private networking and wireless domains, as well as building scalable internetworks, multilayer switched networks and designing network service architectures.

What does it prove? The tester will have the necessary skills to perform the on-the-job tasks required from a network security engineer. CCNP Security professionals are able to test, deploy, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco compliances and iOS features.

What does it prove? The tester will understand how to conduct a wireless site survey, integrate voice over wireless LAN services and mobility services into a wireless LAN, as well as ensure the proper implementation of a security standard into the wireless environment. Testers will be knowledgeable about wireless networking on an advanced level.

What does it stand for? Cisco Certified Network Professional Service Provider

What does it prove? The tester will gain the on-the-job skills required to implement, verify, troubleshoot, and optimize the service provider network environment. This certification enables the tester to deliver scalable, optimized network architectures for enterprises.

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have either an up-to-date CCNA Service Provider certification, or CCNA Routing & Switching and passed a minimum of 1 CCIP exam), or CCIP, or any Cisco CCIE Certification before taking the CCNP wireless exam.

What does it stand for? Cisco Certified Network Professional Service Provider Operations

What does it prove? The tester will be able to understand how to identify and isolate network performance problems and identify solutions by implementing effective network management processes and policies. CCNP Service Provider Operations individuals will be able to work at the level of a Tier II or Tier III support engineer on IP NGN core network infrastructures.

Are there prerequisites? Testers are required to have either an up-to-date CCNA Service Provider Operations certification, or any Cisco CCIE Certification before taking the CCNP Service Provider Operations Certification.